The Women’s Business Center of the YWCA will hold a conference to help motivate and inspire people who are considering opening a business or who want to jump-start their professional lives.

The conference, which will be in Spanish, will feature motivational speaker Denise Ramos Murrieta from Sonora, Mexico. The event will be held at El Mezquite Salon de Eventos, 7130 S. Nogales Highway, Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 4-7 p.m.

Francisca Villegas-Braker, director of the Women’s Business Center, said the conference is geared for women and men who could benefit from the speaker’s tips and inspiration.

“The secret is education,” said Villegas-Braker.

In addition to being a motivational speaker, Ramos is a therapist, newspaper columnist and author. Her presentation is called “Atrévete a Brillar,” or “Dare to Shine.”

The conference is being directed at Spanish-speaking and bilingual residents of the city’s south side. Villegas-Braker said the south side holds a great potential for entrepreneurs and neighborhood leaders. Many of the area residents do not have access to information and networking to help them achieve personal and professional goals.

Another sponsor of the event is Benjamin Galaz, owner of three Mexican and seafood restaurants in Tucson. He said that too many working families don’t give themselves the extra time for self-development.

Galaz, who also is a member of the Southside Business Coalition, said the conference is part of a wider effort to help identify future business owners and to help them realize their goals. Present and future small-business owners are at a great disadvantage because of the lack of resources and information that they need to open their business, stay in business and to grow.

Small-business owners need help in accounting, sales, technology and marketing, said Galaz, who employs about 150 workers at BK Tacos on South 12th Avenue and North First Avenue, and El Berraco on North First Avenue.

The cost of the conference is $30. Financial assistance is available by calling 623-0100.